


Breaking the Habit

by rdpaige



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Gen, He's the boss, I love him, Law is practically a hermit, M/M, Stripper!Ace, Stripper!Law, Stripper!Sabo, added Doffy to the character tags cuz i never actually named him in the story, but like without boundaries, crazy overprotective boss, he's just...got no boundaries, he's so cute tho, it's in their best interest tho, no explicit dancing, so that's where the boys got it from, their relationship is family, totally not creepy, what do strippers even do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-09-30 00:28:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10148738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rdpaige/pseuds/rdpaige
Summary: Law is a performer at the most underrated strip club in town. Between rowdy customers and his club family, his routine starts to get shaken up as he's forced to attend a holiday at his brothers Ace and Sabo's place. With this one change, he learns more about his new family and gets back a little of his own. Possible Lawlu in future chapters





	1. Chapter 1

When he'd started working there, it'd been out of desperation for money. He had thought there had been no way he could do it for a month, yet three years later here he was, up on stage and ensnaring the crowd as easily as a charmer would a snake. He danced to the music and as he lost more clothing and had to smack away greedy hands, he wondered at how much his perception had changed.

Despite his reservations about the job, he'd never looked down on his colleagues. They were all great and after the six-month mark, when it had been decided that he'd be staying indefinitely, they had accepted him into their tight-knit family and honestly, it felt like home. They watched each other's backs and even the cooks in the kitchen were ready to break faces if anyone dared to attack one of the entertainers.

Even though it really wasn't necessary. Every single one of them were required by their boss to have at least a brown belt in karate or an equivalent. It was a very well-kept secret that they were all lethal weapons, but it also meant their every move was monitored. There were cameras and spies stationed wherever their normal routes were and all trips were planned weeks ahead, even if it was to another store, although in their own neighborhoods, it only required a single escort. If they didn't call ahead for permission to enter an area without eyes, their tips went to the owner for an entire month and so they were all extremely against disregarding the rule.

It took a lot to get used to and they all freely admitted it was kind of creepy, but necessary. If they ever got into a fight and their assailant ended up dead, their boss wanted to be able to prove with physical evidence and eyewitnesses that it had been in self-defense. So it made sense and it turned out that their kind-of creepy boss was a complete and total softie. He took care of them, treating them all as his children to protect and provide for, encouraging them to call him Uncle. Sometimes when they got really close, that protection held even after they left the family.

Not that he'd ever leave the family. Collecting the money he'd been thrown as the lights went black, he made small talk with a few of the regulars sitting near the stage. Their clients were usually very nice and they tipped well. Men and women, rich and poor, young and old…they saw a bit of every walk of life. The money was great too, even with the cuts that went to their House Mam and the owner. He always managed at the very minimum a grand a night.

He headed backstage and wondered when he had started to love his job so much. When had he started to enjoy the stares and catcalls and objectification? If his patients could see him now, he bet he'd be a hell of a lot more popular at the hospital.

At least he didn't have to worry about being fired. Beyond the fact his boss on that end also adored him, he was protected by his Uncle's contracts. The man was old blood and had access to enough lawyers to successfully sue the president for shitting. If any of the family were fired from their day—or night, depending on their hours—jobs for anything less than stupidity (sleeping on the job, skipping work, selling drugs, stealing), they'd be on their employers like sharks on seals.

"Right, you keep that up, love, you're only going on twice more." Their House Mam Izo said with a huff. "Here, we've got some requests for you already. Let's get you fixed up a bit."

He put up with the man's fawning as make-up and a touch of glitter were painted on him and then he was heading out for his first table. Paid up front, the amount told him if it'd be table or lap dances provided and it was where he'd make the majority of his money.

Almost nine hours later, he was off the clock. He wished he could just collapse on the inviting sofa placed in their lounge, but Nojiko and Kingdew were there so he just headed for the locker room to get dressed in his street clothes.

"Yo!"

Looking up, he saw Ace practically skipping over. He noticed that he still had white paint with black spots on his entire body and the puppy ears still in place from his show with his cousin Sabo earlier. "Mr. Ace."

The man clapped him on the back. "Hey man, great job tonight! You had those guys like dogs in heat!" He laughed at his joke before sobering a bit, the grin never leaving his face. "You wanna come with us to our Gramps' house? We're gonna have turkey and gravy and stuffing and carrots and mashed potatoes—"

Law blinked at him and cut him off. "What, does he think it's Thanksgiving or something? That's a lot of food."

Ace cocked his head in a way that looked completely adorable with his costume. "Law…it IS Thanksgiving."

Oh. "I wouldn't want to impose—"

Sabo suddenly popped up and began pushing him towards the door. "Your concerns have been noted. Let's go, I'm starving!"

Law was confused. "Isn't this holiday meant to be shared only with family?"

"No! It's for friends and family and everyone you care about!" Ace said brightly. "We thought that since you never celebrate the holidays, we should drag you along to ours!"

"The food's the best you'll ever taste!" Sabo said happily. "But word of warning, it can get pretty crazy."

"You can bunk with us tonight so you won't have to worry about getting home." Ace continued.

He considered fighting, but history proved it would be fruitless (this wasn't his first kidnapping since several of his brothers and sisters loved to take him places) so he just said, "I need to be at the hospital by seven."

"I'll take you." Sabo said and that was that.

He took his place in the back seat and stretched out as they buckled in. He normally took the bus so he had no car to worry about leaving behind. Seeing customers heading for their own cars, he smiled when they noticed him and started waving, blowing kisses, or shouting their love for him. Rolling down the window, he leaned out.

"Hope to see you tomorrow, everyone! Sleep well and dream of me!" He blew them a kiss and to his amusement, several actually swooned. He waved as the car pulled out of the lot and retreated back inside. "I wonder what's gotten them so worked up tonight."

Ace and Sabo shared a glance before Sabo told him solemnly, "It's a combination of factors, Doctor Heartstealer. Your new navel piercing,"

"Where the hell did you find a gem that WHITE?!"

"The tan from when Bay stole you last week,"

"A tan that smooth should be illegal!"

"Those new undies Haruta got you,"

"They cover so little but hide so much!"

"And last, that tattoo on your thigh is genius!"

"Like a permanent garter belt. They bring the attention straight to your dick." Ace sighed dreamily.

Law chuckled. "I thought it might. I'd forgotten about all of those. And to answer your question, Mr. Ace, It's a family heirloom. I actually come from a long line of exotic dancers in India. There's a gap a few generations wide, but it's in my blood."

"India. God, no wonder you're so beautiful." Sabo sighed. "You have Indian, Native American, Hawaiian, AND Japanese in your genes!"

Law gave him a careful look. "Your stalker is showing Mr. Sabo."

"Good thing I'm an exhibitionist."

"TMI, man!" Ace exclaimed.

Sabo laughed. "Sorry."

They kept up light chatter as they exited the city, but Law started to get a bit antsy. "You did get permission, right?"

"No, I'm totally stupid." Sabo drawled. "Left lane, about two hundred feet back."

Turning to look, Law relaxed when he saw the familiar silver Camry on their tail. After that, he was able to refocus on their bickering and even chimed in.

An hour later, they pulled into a drive mostly hidden by the trees and Law watched the shadowy forms pass a bit wistfully. He missed being around nature. Cities didn't allow for much biodiversity to study. Lights flashed behind them and Sabo slowed so that their escorts could catch up. When the brights returned to normal, he sped up again and soon there was a large clearing surrounding what had to be a mansion.


	2. Chapter 2

What the hell? He knew the duo were well off, but this much was ridiculous! He was careful not to let anything show as he unbuckled and exited the car. Several were parked haphazardly along both sides of the drive, their escorts' car wouldn't stand out. He waved as they began to exit the vehicle and headed out to surround the house.

Then he realized something. "You're going in with that make-up on?"

"They think we work for children's theatre." Sabo replied. "You're good, though the contour might raise a few questions."

He scoffed. "Like I care. I'm not ashamed of my job."

"Still…our Gramps is pretty conservative…" He said a bit hesitantly.

Even better. "I'll be on my best behavior." He chuckled.

Ace gave him a suspicious look before brushing it off. "Right! Let's go in! Makino called earlier to tell me they ate lunch a bit later so that they could wait for us before starting dinner!"

Law's hand was grabbed and he was dragged towards the entrance. He was barely able to notice the grand decorations and magnificent architecture as they headed straight for the sound of…fighting? As they got closer, the words became coherent.

"—just wanna taste it—"

"You can wait for your brothers, you ungrateful child!"

"But they're taking forever!"

"Boys, please stop fighting! You're scaring Chopper and Brook!" A woman pleaded to no avail.

Ace let go of his hand to throw the doors open with bangs. "RELEASE THE LUFFY!"

"ACE!" Several people greeted excitedly and as they swarmed the duo, Law easily slipped away to take an unclaimed seat. The table was laden with more food than he'd ever seen in one place, the boy who had been yelling now sitting amongst the dishes as he stuffed his face with everything he could reach. He must have missed the lunch earlier. Since everyone not greeting the duo were also getting food, Law began to load up his plate.

Sabo had been right. Even Thatch couldn't make anything this amazing. But there weren't many vegetable or fruit options. Oh well. He ate as much as he felt was safe, trying to get a little bit of everything so that he didn't miss out on a single dish.

"So what do you think?" A blonde man asked from where he sat beside him.

"The food tastes amazing." He replied.

"Then why have you stopped eating?"

Law blinked at the agitated man. The chef? "I can't eat too much protein or I'll get sick." He'd been in remission for the last few years, but he was still at risk.

"So protein's the problem?"

Somehow Law found himself going over his diet with the blond chef named Sanji. They covered allergies, medical concerns, and favorite vs hated foods.

He blamed the distraction of the brawling members for his loose lips. There was an old man literally butting heads with a younger red-haired man as they argued over alcohol; Ace and Sabo were wrestling with a large brown dog trying to get back their food; the boy on the table was in a fierce utensil fight with several people as he tried to take food directly off their plates; and the last dog, a thin white great Dane, was stealing food from the plates while they were distracted.

And yet the several men and women interspersed throughout the table were talking as if they weren't in the middle of a zoo. Some were keeping to themselves, but every now and then they would cheer on the mayhem, so he didn't quite count them as sane.

"Who did you come with?" Sanji asked once he'd gotten everything he wanted. "I'm here with Luffy, the idiot stealing from the plates."

"Mr. Ace and Mr. Sabo invited me to join." He replied.

"Well I'm glad you came! Will you be coming for Christmas too? I've been working on some healthier recipes and I've been wanting to try them out!" The man said eagerly and before Law could reply, he ran off.

Confused, Law debated on telling him that this had just been a one-off thing. He didn't celebrate Christmas. Sighing, he poured himself another glass of juice and watched the dramatics going on, surprisingly entertained by the show. The dogs had retreated to some women's laps and wee chewing on bones. Ace and Sabo were now bickering with some new arrivals, and the men had settled down to share the alcohol.

"Where's your food?"

Startled, Law turned to see Luffy had stolen the Chef's seat and was eating his food. "I'm done." He replied.

"You're still hungry." He denied. "So keep eating!"

"I can't. I'll get sick."

"No you won't, Sanji makes the best food!" He exclaimed.

"It's my body that's the problem, not his food." He chuckled with a smile. "Literally every dish here is packed with protein. I can eat a bit, but too much will make me so sick I have to go to the hospital."

The boy hugged him, tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry! That has to be hell!"

"It's alright." He chuckled, pushing him away as nicely as possible. "In a few more years, I'll be able to eat anything I want."

That prompted the boy into a litany of suggestions about what foods and restaurants were good. Law listened to him babble as he drank his juice and even when the others started acting up again, he found his attention barely wavered. The kid was cute and he could see a lot of his brothers in him.

Then, suddenly, Sanji was back and he set about five different dishes down around Law. "Luffy, touch these before him and I'll kill you. Here you go, Law!"

He was shocked. "You didn't have to make me food! You already made so much—"

"No one leaves my table hungry! Eat!" He ordered before sweeping away.

Completely baffled, Law looked at the vegetable dishes and after a closer inspection, realized he could eat it! Lighting up, he got himself a good serving of each and dug in happily.

Grinning, Luffy continued chatting about all his favorite restaurants and dishes for Law to eat when he could.

For the first time in nearly an entire decade, he was able to eat until he was full and with the chatterbox beside him filling his head with culinary fantasies he'd be able to realize soon, he was in good company. When dinner ended, he helped put up the food and offered to help with the dishes only to be kicked out by the women, so he looked around for his friends.

Only to end up lost in the halls. Why were there so many rooms on the first floor? And where the hell did everyone go?

Fuck it, he thought as he went to a window. He forced it open and climbed out.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Trafalgar?" One of the escorts asked as they approached.

He laughed sheepishly. "No, I just got lost, so I'm going back to the front to start over."

"Want a cigarette before you go?" They asked with an amused smile, offering their pack.

It'd been nearly fifteen hours since his last smoke. "Yes, please." He took one out and leaned forward as the man held up the lighter. A little smoke break wouldn't hurt and it turned out the guy was pretty cool. Law listened to him talk about electronics and the frequencies that disrupted them, how he was going to school to do more with it.

But then the guy brought up Law's work and he lost interest. He might love his job, but he needed a break from it. He needed his downtime.

Then he leaned in, grasping Law's upper arm as he said, "I really, really love your work. The other dancers are great, but you're a star amongst fireflies."

"Thank you." He accepted the compliment, pulling his arm free. "But I don't want to talk about my job. What else are you working on in school? Or is it just the electronics you're interested in?"

"Oh, I've got a few more interests." He replied. "I'm minoring in the Fine Arts. My favorite class has to be Art Appreciation. It kills me though, seeing all those masterpieces without being able to touch—"

Law jolted and smacked the man's hand away when it grabbed his ass. "Hey, hands off you asshole!" he didn't wait for him to follow up, he could see the heat in his gaze and knew the sort very well. With three hits, the man was down for the count and picked up the headset, hearing static. A quick search later, he turned off the app on the guy's phone and heard the others demanding the man answer.

"One of you guys mind getting this cretin before I decide he doesn't need his dick?"

Mr. Trafalgar? What happened?

He filled them in on everything from getting lost to disabling the app.

He touched you?! One of them demanded, voice a growl. Diamante, collect him and take him straight to the Boss. If he gets away, you'll be next on the list.

The man scoffed. Don't insult me.

Baby 5, I need you to escort Mr. Trafalgar back inside and stay with him until he decides to retire.

Yes sir! The woman exclaimed excitedly and he wondered how he'd missed her getting out of the car.

Soon both had arrived and Law led the way back to the front hall.

"From what I saw, all the guests have gone into some sort of den." She told him. "Would you like for me to wait outside in the hallway?"

"No, you heard Mr. Sai. It'd be best if you stay with me." He replied, holding the door open for her before entering himself. They found a set of stairs when she revealed the den had been on the second floor and they made their way up in companionable silence. After a bit of wandering, they heard shouting. Geeze, these people had some lungs on them…

Then he realized it was Ace. "—I told you to get him!"

"Well I didn't hear you!" Sabo exclaimed. "Now what do we do, he could be anywhere!"

"Tell me you disabled the traps, Old Man!" Ace pleaded.

The old man laughed. "Of course not!"

"Traps?" Law wondered warily.

"Dammit! What if he got caught in one?!"

"Then we'd know where he was at! Bahahaha!"

Entering a lavishly decorated den, Law walked over to Sanji and asked quietly, "Who did they lose?"

"You." The man chuckled. "What happened?"

He pushed Baby 5 forward. "Meet Baby 5. She showed me where you were."

The guy was instantly distracted and began swooning over her. Sighing in relief, he listened to Ace and Sabo plan to search for him.

"Alright, first group will check the kitchen! Any volunteers?"

Law held up his hand. "I'll go."

"Great, you can take—" Sabo did a double-take before he got tears in his eyes. "LAW! You're alive!" He ran over and tackled him in a hug. "Where did you go, we've been searching everywhere for you!"

Law scoffed slightly. "I had a smoke outside."

The blond pulled back with a scandalized gasp, but Ace beat him to it. "You can't smoke! You're sick!"

"I don't have lung cancer." He said in amusement. "A smoke now and then won't kill me."

"Where'd you get it from?" Sabo demanded angrily. "The Boss banned them for just this reason!"

"What?" He asked in surprise.

Baby 5 walked over. "That dingus Breed baited him with it."

Law sighed as both their gazes sharpened. "We'll talk about it later. What was that about traps?"

"Gramps sets them up to try and kill us." Ace huffed.

"Taught you some great reflexes, brat!" The old man laughed.

"They're all over the house." Sabo continued. "We forgot to warn you about them."

"I didn't see any traps and I'd been wandering around for a while." He protested. "I got lost." He explained.

"WHAT?! Who dismantled my traps?!" The old man demanded angrily. "Show me where you went!"

Shrugging, Law gestured for him to follow. Baby 5 stuck close to him and they retraced their steps back to the front door with the old man, Ace, and Sabo following them. Then Law took the lead and showed them the way he'd wandered around searching for the others, ending at the window—that he sheepishly closed.

"You climbed out the window?" Ace asked in amusement.

"I was hopeless!" He huffed. "You saw, I must have crossed my own path twenty times!"

"Uh, Law?" Sabo said hesitantly. "Look up."

Doing so, he saw a metal sheet meant to fall and crush whoever climbed out. Curious, he opened it again, but nothing happened. He shut it.

"Let me try." The old man huffed.

The window moved half an inch when the sheet narrowly avoided crushing the man's fingers.

"You managed to avoid every single trap on the way here." Sabo continued. "Even when you stepped right on the trigger!" He pointed back the way they'd come. "Step on the square with white patterns."

Cocking his head, Law walked over and stepped on it. Nothing happened so he stepped off.

The old man put one toe and had to dodge a swinging blade.

"No more traps!" Baby 5 exclaimed. "How could you tell him to step on that?!"

"This doesn't make sense! How much do you weigh, boy?" The old man demanded.

"One hundred twenty-seven pounds." He replied.

"Jesus Christ, you need more meat on your bones!" He exclaimed. "It should've activated. The minimum weight is 75 pounds!"

He could exert 75 pounds of pressure with his toes? "Maybe they like me?" He shrugged.

"Traitors." The man grumbled, but accepted that reasoning. They all headed back for the den upstairs and Law brought up the rear so that he could see where all the traps were located.

Back in the room, the old man loudly declared that the traps liked Law more than any of them and began complaining about the traitorous instruments.

Covering a chuckle, Law went to find a seat and the next hour or so passed much more peacefully. The pumpkin spice coffee courtesy of the blond chef had him feeling warm and the actual fires in the fireplaces had him feeling cozy. The scent of cinnamon was in the air and to be honest, this was the best Thanksgiving he'd ever had.

"Why do you wear make-up like a girl?"

Drawn out of his doze by the curious question, he asked, "How do I wear make-up like a boy?"

"Boys don't wear make-up."

"But I'm wearing make-up."

The boy squinted at him, clearly flummoxed. "So you're a girl?"

"Luffy!" Ace exclaimed in shock.

"I'm a boy." He denied, Ace frowning slightly as he looked between them uncertainly.

After a solid minute, the boy said slowly, "So…boys can wear make-up too?"

"Yes. Anyone can wear make-up. Men, women, animals, plants—it's not just for women. That'd be like saying paint is just for houses." He said with a smile.

The boy accepted that. "Why do you wear make-up?"

"I'm an actor." He told him. "Up on stage, the lights are so bright, it can make me look flat. So I put on this make-up and the audience can see my features. My eyes, nose, cheekbones—I'll look human again."

"So you work with Ace and Sabo?" The boy asked eagerly. "But you look different than they do!" He realized, looking between them.

Law debated his answer as the duo glared daggers at him. A slow smirk bloomed on his face. "That's because I'm the lead character. They're just extras."

Both gaped at him in overexaggerated betrayal. "Baby 5, you don't think he's the lead, do you?" Ace demanded.

"I'm not allowed to have an opinion." She reminded in amusement.

"Cool!" Luffy crowed excitedly, stars in his eyes. "You're the star?!"

"Mhm." He confirmed with a smirk. "But when I'm cast, it's for shows meant for a…more mature audience. How old are you, eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Nineteen!" He said eagerly.

Law hummed. "Sorry, you're too young to see my shows."

"What? Why?" He protested in disappointment.

"He curses! A lot!" Ace exclaimed quickly.

"There's violence! Blood everywhere!" Sabo chimed in.

"The bad guys win! All the time!"

"And there's a smidge of nudity." Law chuckled. "Not for young hearts to take."

"You get naked?" He asked in shock. "In front of people?!"

"No, topless technically counts as nude." He reassured.

The boy looked at his chest, hidden in his old college hoody. "Do they paint your chest too?" He looked at his brothers who still hosted their puppy paint.

"For fifty dollars, you can find out." He winked at the boy.

"Law!" Sabo exclaimed, torn between reprimanding him and laughing. "Don't solicit our brother!"

"I don't work for free." He chuckled.

"You shouldn't be working at all." Baby 5 reprimanded before turning to Luffy. "A crowd this size would cost 150, kid."

"Just to take his shirt off?" The boy asked in confusion.

"Our artists put a lot of effort into him! Ace and Sabo got a free pass because you're family!" She replied.

"I have thirty dollars!" The orange-haired woman exclaimed.

"What? Are we really paying him to take his shirt off?" The green-haired man protested.

"Empty your pockets!" She growled.

"I've got twenty dollars!" Sanji told the woman with hearts in his eyes. "Anything for my Nami-swan!"

"Now you heathens hang on just one second!" Garp shouted. "Didn't you hear them? That's work! No work in my house, especially not on holidays!"

Law noticed a spark enter Luffy's eyes and watched him hurry over to his friends. Smiling, he asked quietly, "How much goes to Doffy?"

"Ten percent to him, five to Izo considering it's his work you're showing off." She answered.

"That's still 127.50." He chuckled, pleased.

"Like you need the money." Ace grumbled.

"And you do?" He asked coolly, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Boys, no fighting." Baby 5 chided. "Save it for when you're not trapped together."

Law turned his head so that the man wasn't in his line of sight and saw the red-haired man going towards the old man. As he distracted him, Luffy returned with the orange-haired girl and she handed over a stack of bills. Twenties, tens, and ones, predominately, plus some change. Baby 5 processed it all quickly and handed back a few coins before taking out the cut. She handed the rest to Law who put the bills in his jeans pocket.

"Alright, go ahead."

Smiling, Law stood up and was careful not to take his hoodie off too slowly. He heard several people gasp and Ace demanded, "You weren't wearing a shirt?! How could you go outside like that, it's twenty degrees!"

Seeing the old man look over, he huffed. "Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to show me where I can rinse this juice out before it stains?"

"I'll take it to the laundry room." Sabo chuckled, elbowing Ace in his side. "I'll bring you something else to wear too."

"Don't tell me you tricked him into taking his shirt off anyway!" The old man exclaimed angrily.

"Ah—no, no, it really was an accident." Law said in surprise, baffled by how these people swung between extremes. And wasn't the guy supposed to be conservative?

"You might be fooled, but I won't be!" He growled as he stomped over. "The girl's a shark! She'll rob you blind and you won't notice until a week later!" He took out a wallet.

Alarmed, Law held up his hands. "No really, it was an accident! She wasn't even near me—"

"Then she shanghaied one of these whipped dogs to do it!" He held out the counted cash. "Here."

"Sir, really—" he tried to protest, backing up a step when he waved it at him.

"Just take it!" Baby 5 huffed in exasperation as she reached for it.

Law grasped her wrist just hard enough to make a point. "I don't accept charity, Baby 5."

She threw up her hands. "Sabo, talk some sense into this asshole! He can't afford to turn it down!" Her eyes went wide, hand clapping to her mouth. "Shit! Sai, come take over!" She exclaimed as she bolted from the room.

"What do—" Ace grunted when Sabo elbowed him in the side to shut him up.

"Law, just take it." The blond said. "Gramps won't let you leave without it and that means you'll be late to the hospital tomorrow."

Sai entered the room as Law reluctantly took the money. well, if he'd been given extra, he just had to make the experience worth it. Smirking suddenly, he wrapped his arm around the orange-haired girl's shoulders. "So you're a 'shark'? I know the exact amount of money I came in with."

She practically swooned when he released her and he went to go mingle.

He'd earn his keep.


	3. Chapter 3

Around three, he finally let himself retire and was led to Ace and Sabo's room by the quiet duo. Sai made sure they got there safely before taking up guard next to the door.

Once the door was shut, Ace demanded, "What the hell did she mean you can't turn down a measly 150?! Law, you can net thousands a night!"

He rubbed his head wearily, exhausted. "My family had a lot of debt. Millions of dollars' worth. Then I got sick and it just kept piling on. My student loans didn't help. I'm still drowning in it, but I'm getting there. As it is, I can barely afford my apartment and food."

"Yeah, you're getting so much of that." Ace scoffed. "127? Really?"

"Unlike you I can't just stuff my face with whatever's lying around!" He said sharply. "When would I have the time to cook? And do you realize how much protein is in a single fast-food meal?! I'd overdose with one!"

"Why haven't you told anyone?" Sabo demanded. "Law, you're going to kill yourself! We can help!"

"I don't need charity!" He exclaimed.

"It's not charity, you idiot!" Ace shouted back loudly. "It's us keeping you alive! Wouldn't you do the same for us if our bank accounts were being sucked dry by debt collectors?!"

He lost his temper. "This is my fault! If I hadn't wasted all that money on a stupid doctorate, I'd be even closer to paying off my family's debt! I won't make you drag me out of the whole I dug myself—"

"Law," Sabo cut in quietly. "If my calculations are right, you've paid off your loans. What you're fighting now isn't even your own battle. Let us help." He pleaded.

Law wavered slightly under the force of the man's quiet desperation. He didn't understand why he wanted to help Law so bad when—he steeled himself. "No. I'm taking a shower."

He pretended he didn't hear the boot Ace threw hit the door as he got undressed. Great, he'd be trailing glitter around the hospital for a week. He made a note to get his spare clothes from his locker and use the chemical showers to get rid of as much as he could before the morning shift arrived. It wouldn't be the first time.

He washed off the make-up and most of the glitter before starting to scrub himself clean. He didn't bother washing his hair with more than the bar soap, not wanting to use their products when he had his own at home. A skipped wash wouldn't ruin his hair. When he was done, he got out and grabbed the only towel without an initial, drying his hair before wrapping it around his waist and picking up his clothes.

Only to drop them when he exited the bathroom and something hit him in the face. Clothes. He caught them and tried very hard not to show his annoyance. "Thanks."

"Shut up." Ace grumbled as he went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Almost immediately the water was back on and Law got dressed in the nightclothes. He was pulling down the shirt when he realized Sabo was picking up his dropped clothes.

"I'll put your things on the table and take these to the washroom. That way they'll be clean tomorrow." He was quick to dump Law's cell and charger, the money, his wallet, and several other small things on the table between the beds.

The man was already heading out the door by the time Law managed to say, "Thanks." Running his fingers through his hair, he looked around the room and went to go look out the window instead of sitting on one of the beds. He didn't know which he was taking and didn't want to annoy Ace any more than he already was.

Then Sabo was back. That was quick. Law watched him get ready for his own shower and said quietly, "I'm really fine."

"I know you are." Sabo assured him. "We both do. We know you're strong and smart enough to keep your head above the water. Just…all we wanna do is give you a little bit of help. You'd do the same for us."

He rubbed his neck in agitation, turning to the window again. It was pitch black outside but there were so many stars. After a bit of a mental struggle, he was able to say softly, "I don't want to become a mooch. What if I rely on others and I get so complacent that I'm not carrying my own weight at all? I don't want to be a burden…"

"Law," Ace said quietly from behind him. "A few meals together and a bit of financial lubricant isn't a burden to us. We're rich! Heck, if we asked Gramps, he'd probably pay off the debt in a heartbeat and it wouldn't even make a dent!"

Law felt ill at the thought. "Don't. Don't. I'd never be able to earn that kind of gift. Please don't." He begged.

Ace pulled him into a tight hug. "Then let us give you just a little bit of help. Hell, you earn that for not smothering us in our sleep!" He laughed.

Law relaxed as Sabo put his hand on his back and took a few careful breaths. "…alright."

Happy, they crushed him in a hug between them before letting go.

"We'll sleep together and you can have my bed." Ace said before going to leap on one of the giant beds.

Wanting to say so much to them, he couldn't get a word past the lump in his throat. Nodding, he went to the other bed and got under the pillows as Sabo headed into the bathroom.

"By the way, you're coming here for every holiday."

"Even Arbor Day?" He asked with a smile.

"Especially Arbor Day! We can…plant a tree! In the den!"

He looked at the man in amusement. "On the second floor?"

"We could do it." He hummed. "I've decided! Next Arbor Day we're planting a tree."

"Why not a garden?" He chuckled. "A tree would be lonely all by itself."

"Great idea! And when Gramps is bein' annoying, I can just sit on the other side!" He exclaimed eagerly.

Amused as he imagined the old man chasing Ace around the tree, he nuzzled the pillow and closed his eyes. He'd just meant to rest them for a moment, but he ended up falling asleep almost immediately.


	4. Chapter 4

He woke up when his phone began to ring. Stirring, he reached out to grab it, but someone beat him to it.

"'llo?" Ace asked groggily. "…nah, he's asleep. It's only five—oh, sweet, even better. Yeah, he's a friend of mine and I nabbed him for the holiday. Last minute, he didn't have a chance to." He chuckled at whatever they said. Then he mhm'ed a few times before saying, "I'll tell him…uh-huh. Good call, he wouldn't believe me." He laughed. "Yeah, you too, man. Huh? Is that a security question? Cuz he hates banana flavored shit."

Law smiled sleepily. That had to be Penguin.

"So we good now? Alright, night—er, morning? Whatever, bye."

"What'd Penguin want?" He asked quietly.

"To inform you that your higher-ups are demanding you start taking holidays off before their insurance companies get on their ass." He yawned. "Since you worked yesterday, they're making you take today off so go back to sleep, I'm turning off your alarms."

More than comfortable in the warm cloud supporting him, Law hummed and easily sank back into sleep.

-f-f-f-

Around noon, he woke up feeling better than he had in years. He took a quick shower just to wake himself up and got dressed in the clothes someone had put on the edge of the bed he'd been using. He'd never seen his clothes so…fresh looking and wondered if they used color-safe bleach or something. After returning his things to his pockets, he checked his phone and turned all of his alarms back on. He answered a few texts from his colleagues before putting the money in his wallet and it on top of the bookshelf near the door. He wouldn't need it until he left and he left his charger where either Ace or Sabo had plugged it in.

Finally, he left the room to find his hosts. There wasn't a guard at the door, so he figured Sai had calmed down a bit. The den was empty, so he headed downstairs, noting that even though it was so big, he really liked the house. It felt comfortable, like Law was never alone in a room.

Passing a library, he paused and backtracked. A quick look couldn't hurt.

-f-f-f-

Chills had him snapping his eyes open and he saw Luffy standing beside him, staring at Law like he was some sort of puzzle. Letting out a breath, he asked, "Can I help you, Mr. Luffy?"

"I'm trying to tell if you're still wearing make-up." He said. "Cuz you still look really pretty."

How sweet. "Just some left-over eyeliner. Everything else I scrubbed off." He told him. "You think I'm pretty?"

The boy brightened. "Yeah! You're almost as pretty as Makino!"

He remembered the green-haired woman and smiled warmly. "That's quite the compliment. Your mother is very beautiful."

"That's better than pretty, right? You're beautiful too." He said happily. "Oh yeah! We're about to start lunch and Sanji says we can't eat until everyone's there. Since I found you, all that's left is Zoro but he's probably in the basement again. He gets lost too, even though he's lived here for like six years!"

Rubbing his face, Law took the book back to the shelf and listened to the boy chatter all the way to the dining room.

"There you are!" Sabo exclaimed, hurrying over. "Did you get lost again?"

"He was sleeping in the library!" Luffy laughed. "Sunny must really like him!"

"Sunny?" Law asked.

Sabo smiled sheepishly. "The house. Luffy named her the Thousand Sunny." He pulled him to the table. "Come on and have a seat. We're just waiting on Zoro."

"Did you check the basement? He always winds up in the basement." Luffy said.

Ace began fussing over Law's hair, getting rid of a few knots and styling it as best he could without gel. "All that junk in your pockets and you don't have a comb?" He huffed.

"I don't need a comb." He brushed off.

"Your hair's a mess!"

"Your face is a mess."

The man laughed. "Real original."

"I know, isn't it great? I came up with it all by myself." He said with a smile.

"I'll give you a mohawk."

"I'll give you the reverse."

Ace shuddered and dropped his hands. "Ugh, thanks for that visual."

"You're welcome." He replied cheerfully.

"Let's leave the styling to Izo." Sabo chuckled. "You know how he gets."

Both shivered. The man could be a nightmare. But like the lack of privacy, stalkers, and limited range, it was in their best interests. This one was just job-oriented.

"You all have the same hair-dresser?" Nami asked in interest. "Is that why you look so similar?"

Well, Law's hair was a bit wilder, but they nodded. Izo had a type and it was just enough to produce a variety of styles.

"You know, I've heard more about the boys' jobs in the last twenty-four hours than the last eight years combined." Shanks, the red-headed man, laughed.

Law smiled but before he could respond, Zoro was dragged in by Usopp and like he'd been given a signal, Sanji began carrying in dishes. But they weren't in giant servers like the night before. Instead, they were trays of a medley of food from sandwiches and milk to leftovers and sake, all seemingly tailored for the individual diners.

Law's had enough food to feed him for a week. Some fish, but the rest were vegetables and fruits based. He waited until the others started eating before digging in. The first bite almost had him groaning indecently and he ended up almost his plate as he ate slow enough to savor but quick enough that he didn't get full until he'd finished every last bite.

Sitting back, he reached for his glass of juice and thought that this had to be the best day off he'd ever had. Quiet chatter had started up around the table as others also got close to finished and he listened to groups making plans around the property. That reminded him.

Turning to Ace he asked, "When are you guys going to take me home?"

"Never?" He joked before saying, "Why don't we head out at four?"

Shrugging, he nodded and leaned back in his seat as he stretched out his arms and legs.

"Hey, didn't you say you had to be at the hospital?" The old man suddenly remembered.

Law sighed. "One of my colleagues contacted me this morning to tell me that my holidays are not for working. So the higher-ups won't be hounded by insurance, they're making me take time off."

"He became an actual surgeon three years ago, and he hasn't taken a single day off!" Ace exclaimed like Law was a monster for being reliable.

He rolled his eyes. "Someone has to work in the clinic and if it weren't for me, they'd be stuck with Lisa. Her favorite joke is, 'Oh great! We can transfer you to my department!'" He snorted. "She's the mortician. They're always in hysterics by the time she's done with them."

"Surely there are other doctors to take over." Makino said in concern.

"Hardly any of the staff should be put in the clinic. They are not people persons." He immediately began regaling them with the variety of horror stories he'd accrued over the last few years and soon even the stoic Dragon was laughing.

"So, which hospital do you work at?" Nami asked coyly. "I think I'm coming down with something."

Law smiled. "Mr. Ace and Mr. Sabo have been asking for ages. For the exact same reason I deny them, I'm afraid I can't tell you."

"He acts like we'll go to the hospital just to pester him!" Ace protested with a hurt expression.

"He's right." Sabo chuckled.

"Boo." She pouted, but none of them pressed the issue.

When the table was cleared and Law had been chastised for offering to help with washing, he found his hand being grabbed by Luffy.

"Hey, Torao! Come with us on our hike!" He begged.

"I'm not dressed warmly enough for that." He replied apologetically.

"That's okay! We've got tons of spare jackets!" He said before dragging him towards the front door. In a room just off the entrance hall, he saw outerwear in every shape, size, and color all neatly organized in sections. It was like a department store and it boggled his mind.

The next ten minutes were spent searching for his size and he finally came across a coat that reached his calves and had feathers that reminded him of a snow owl. It was sleek and shiny and very warm and he was surprised by how well it fit him.

The boy gave him black gloves and a matching skull cap, but the scarf he ended up looping around his neck was made of a rainbow of colors. Law tied it loosely and tucked it into the coat before he fastened it properly.

Grinning widely, the boy was once again dragging Law, this time out the door and towards the trees where the others had gathered to wait. Ace and Sabo turned to look when they heard Luffy's stomping and both gaped at him in shock.

Then Ace grinned. "You know, if you ever wanted a bit more cash, you could become a model."

Rolling his eyes, Law said, "Haha."

He turned sincere. "I'm serious! You look great!"

Blushing slightly, Law looked away and pulled his hand from the younger boy's. "Where are we going on our hike?"

Sabo pointed up the large hill and said, "We've got a treehouse up there. We built it ourselves—me, Ace, and Luffy."

"Mostly me and Sabo. Luffy was really little." Ace chuckled.

"I put the flag up!" Luffy said cheerfully. "Let's go!" He took off at a run.

Crazy kid. No way Law was running in this weather.

As they followed them, Law took in the fall colors and the picturesque landscape. It'd been so long since he'd been in nature and his sharp eyes picked out the hidden fauna. Bugs, birds, rodents—he could name most of them and he felt all of six years old again when he suddenly spotted a large toad. "Whoa! That's the largest toad I've ever seen!" He ran over and caught it mid-leap. He began petting it and laughed when it gave a loud croak. Then a large beetle flew by and it leapt out of his arms to chase it.

"Wait! Don't eat that!" He exclaimed in shock, chasing after the surprisingly fast creature. "It's poisonous!"

"Law, just let it go!" Ace laughed. "It won't catch it!"

"Ten bucks says it will!" Sabo challenged.

"Follow that toad!" Ace exclaimed and Law laughed as they joined him in the chase.

-f-f-f-

"HA! Ten bucks, Ace, cough it up!" Sabo laughed between wheezes as Law wrestled with the toad.

"Don't eat that, you stupid toad! It's Poison! POISON! You'll DIE!" He pried open its mouth and ignored its flailing as he freed the bug.

The toad gave a loud croak of displeasure.

"Shut up, we'll find something that won't kill you." He huffed as he threw away the bug. It took flight in mid-air and vanished from sight. He picked up the toad and began walking in the opposite direction. "Like a bird or something. Oh wait, too many bones, not enough meat. Fish!" He said excitedly as he skid down the leafy decline. "Fish are good for you! What d'you say?"

He got an approving croak and grinned happily.

"Mr. Trafalgar, please slow down!" Their winded escort pleaded.

"What he said!" Ace exclaimed. "How can you run so much in this weather? My throat is on fire!"

"That's because you're breathing wrong." He scoffed as he slowed down. "There's a small creek just up ahead."

"I'll need a nap after this." Sabo chuckled. "Can he really eat fish?"

"Cane toads can eat anything that can fit in their mouths." He replied. "Fish, lizards, birds, other toads—they either eat big or eat a lot."

"How do you know so much about toads?" Ace asked curiously. "Was it part of becoming a doctor?"

"Oh, no." He chuckled. "My parents were doctors too and every chance they got they were taking me and Lamy out into the forest behind our house to teach us about adaptation and genetics. My mum even managed to get the reindeer to eat near our house so we could see how their antlers would grow and fall out during the winters. Did you know that bucks lose their antlers early in the winter? Only the does retain their antlers and that means Santa's sleigh is guided by does."

"What?! No way!" They exclaimed in shock.

"Google it." He reached the edge of the creek and set the toad down before starting to take off his coat.

"Whoa, hey, what are you doing?" Sabo demanded, stopping him. "It's 35 degrees out!"

"I'm not going to get the coat dirty." He brushed off as he shrugged out of it and removed the gloves. Laying both on a rock, and before they could stop him, he leapt down into the thin water. The toad landed beside him and they both peered into the water.

"Aha!" He struck, quick as a snake, and held up a small fish. The toad was quick to swallow it down. Pleased, he looked back into the water and found a fish, tracking its movements before deciding he could catch it. He struck and, again, held up his prize.

"How the hell are you doing that?" Sabo demanded as they joined him and watched the toad swallow its second course.

"Practice." He chuckled. "Do the jab, but once your hand is in the water, grab."

Dubiously, Ace tried it and yelped. "I touched one!"

"You didn't count for the refraction. Try again."

For the next ten minutes, the duo tried their hand at catching fish in their bare hands and though they both managed to grab several, they tended to drop it too quickly because of the texture or it escaped a loose grip.

Law couldn't stop laughing at their faces because they looked so shocked every time.

"Oi, incoming." Their escort warned and they looked up to see Luffy practically flying down the hill.

"Wow, he's pretty graceful." Law noted as he easily dipped in and out of sight, looking like he was skating between trees.

"He's a freaking monkey." Ace scoffed as they headed over to the coat. They helped him put it back on, fingers not working right after being exposed for so long.

"Guys!" Luffy exclaimed. "We were looking out through the telescope! We thought Torao fell and got hurt! Why was he still for so long?" He demanded, looking Law over.

"I took the coat off so I could get this guy some fish." He caught the toad when it leapt into his arms. "I didn't want to get it dirty."

He had stars in his eyes. "Wow! That's a huge frog!"

"IT's a toad, actually." He corrected with a smile. "A Cane Toad. They make very popular pets because of their large sizes, but careful! The protective mucus it secretes can cause serious discomfort if it gets in your eyes or mouth!"

The toad croaked in a rather smug way.

"Cool!" He suddenly bolted for one of the trees and pounced, producing a large beetle. "They eat bugs, right?"

The toad used its tongue to snatch the beetle from the boy's hand.

"AH! Shishishi, he got it!"

Law set it on the ground and it hopped away. "He won't have to eat again for some time. He ate two fish." He told him.

The boy was over the moon and on their way to the treehouse, Law listened to him babble about the animals he'd found in the woods. He even pointed out a few and Law told him the names.

"Oh look, a puppy!" Luffy exclaimed as they were nearing the top of the hill where snow had started to fall.

Law caught him by his coat. "Hang on. That's a bear cub." He warned. "The momma's around here somewhere and if you get too close to her baby, she'll string your guts up like garland." He looked around but didn't see the bear, which meant— "Okay, don't panic." He said softly as he began leading the boy away from the cub as quickly as possible without making it seem like they were running. "Just keep moving."

"What's the problem, Mr. Trafalgar?" Their escort asked quietly as he brought up the rear, hand on his gun.

"We were between the mom and her cub." He replied. "Don't make any sudden moves or loud noises—she probably hasn't noticed us yet."

"The puppy's following us." Luffy said, looking back.

"She'll grab him soon. Watch, but don't be obvious. And keep moving."

Sure enough, a second or two later, there was a growl and a huge black bear came out of a tree, a branch in its mouth with a beehive on it. It hooked a paw around the cub and carried it to a bush with berries, starting to work on the hive as the cub focused on the snack.

"Jesus, that was over our heads?" Sabo asked in shock.

Law chuckled. "Welcome to nature."

The rest of the trip was uneventful and soon Law was looking up at a rope ladder leading to a hatch at the bottom of a huge treehouse. "You built this as kids?" He asked incredulously.

"We had a lot of free-time." Ace huffed as Luffy scrambled up the worn but sturdy ladder. "Go on."

Shrugging, he began climbing and lifted himself up with only a bit of trouble because of the coat.

"—almost got mauled by a bear!" Luffy exclaimed to the group. "We were right between it and its puppy but Torao knew before the momma and got us away before she even saw us! He's so cool guys, he knows so much about nature!"

Blushing slightly, Law said, "Thank you. Does anyone have hand sanitizer? I've got poison on my hands."

"Poison?" Nami demanded as Robin produced some.

Law discarded the gloves and thanked the woman as she gave him a generous amount. He rubbed it in as he replied, "Yeah, I found a giant cane toad and was feeding it fish. It was pretty docile, but the toxins aren't released just when it's stressed."

"You picked up a poisonous frog?" Zoro asked slowly.

"Toad. All it'd cause is mild irritation if you got it in your eyes or mouth." He assured. "It's only deadly if you eat it."

Luffy deflated slightly. "Aw man, I was gonna ask Sanji to cook one. Some. Fifty!"

"I wouldn't advise it." He said. "You need to be an expert to cook it—or teach you to cook it," he added quickly before the blond could puff up. "I'm not kidding when I say it's deadly. One bite is all it takes and only the legs are edible because no matter how quickly you skin them after they die, the poison spreads fast."

"Boo." Luffy pouted.

Smiling, Law looked around the treehouse and noted it was bigger than his entire apartment. It had couches, rugs, tables, chairs, and even a pit for a fire. It was a little roughshod, but there wasn't much of a draft and the floor was obviously sturdy enough if it held them all up without any give. Curtains mostly covered the windows and he saw one was open, a spyglass lying nearby and beyond it were planks of wood making stairs that led up the branch. Curiously, he walked over and saw the steps ended a ways up, turning into another rope ladder that led to another branch that held what looked like a crow's nest. On top of the roof was a flag with a silly jolly roger wearing a straw hat over a large blue s that was crossed out with a thin x of the same color. Behind the s was a large spade symbol in black.

It was cute. Obviously representing each brother.

"Wanna go up there?" The boy asked brightly, holding up the telescope. "We got an actual spyglass from real sailors!"

"Really?" He asked, totally digging the pirate theme.

"Yeah, go! I'll follow!" He said eagerly.

"Be careful! I don't want to see either of you fall to your deaths!" Nami exclaimed.

"Oh, and here I was going to swing around like Tarzan." He muttered as he climbed out.

"Don't be a smartass!"

"Better than a dumbass!" He shot back cheerfully as he made his way to the rope ladder. The wind felt nice and he checked the fasteners on his coat to make sure a sudden gust wouldn't rip it open and send him plummeting. Then he looked up and paused. "Wow, the view's fantastic up here!"

"Go, go! It's cold!" Luffy laughed.

Amused, Law tested the rope before starting to climb. "This is a horrible angle, hold on." He swung around so that he was hanging from it and was able to climb much easier until it started to rise vertically. Then he swung back around to climb normally.

"I said be careful!" Nami shouted.

He let his body swing down, only hanging on by his legs. "What?" he asked as she screamed and fell back.

"Woah, cool!" Luffy said with stars in his eyes as he rose back up and continued climbing.

"Don't try that at home, kiddo." He chuckled, reaching the other branch. A few planks of wood were nailed into it and led to the opening where he lifted himself up into the nest. There was probably only enough room for one other person and he immediately went for the antique spyglass. Excitedly, he put it up to his eye and began challenging the boy to find what he was looking at with it and vice versa.

Unfortunately, the game ended when he nearly dropped it.

"Oh man, your hands are freezing." Luffy frowned. "Where'd your gloves go?"

"They had poison on them." He reminded. "I had to take them off." He watched the boy take his hands and blinked when he put them to his neck.

"Here, keep them here." He said with a grin, gloved hands covering the tips of his fingers. "Ace does this for me when I forget my gloves and it only takes a bit to warm mine up. You're bigger than me though, so I don't know."

The kid was such a sweetheart. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against his. "You're sweet. But you need to conserve your own heat." He pulled away and checked the coat. "And besides, I think this thing has pockets somewhere."

"You know, you can get it dirty." Luffy said. "They're fake feathers so they're easy to clean. Well, not for me, but, like, our laundry lady."

"You have a laundry lady?" He asked in surprise.

"Yeah! Her name's Dadan and she gets really mad when we try to do chores ourselves." He snickered. "She's in charge of the cleaning crew too and the chefs when Sanji isn't here. The landcapers too!"

"Landscapers." He corrected before frowning. "I don't want to cause her more work then. I should be more careful." His hands were starting to tingle and he clenched and unclenched them to try and improve the circulation.

"That was my real mom's coat, you know?" Luffy said suddenly. "She had horses and it'd always look brown by the time she came in. it's made to be worn, you know? But none of us are right for it. Can you wear it for her?"

Law was startled. "W-what? I can't take your mother's coat! Shouldn't you talk to your dad about that?!"

"He never saw her in it." He brushed off. "He's an explorer, he travels everywhere. I only see him on Thanksgiving, he didn't even come when she died. I think he's scared that if he had, he'd have to accept she's gone."

Wow, this was a heavy conversation. "Then what about your grandpa?"

The boy frowned before brightening. "I'll go ask!"

He vaulted over the edge of the nest and onto a hand-operated lift that barely slowed enough to avoid crashing into the ground.

Heart in his throat, he shouted, "Don't just jump out of trees! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"That's for scaring Nami!" The boy shouted back with a grin before he ran off.

Heart still pounding, he leapt to the other branch, bypassing the rope ladder, and walked over to the window. "Karma sucks." He said as he reentered the room.

"Serves you right!" Nami huffed. "Where's Luffy going?"

"I wasn't quick enough to discourage him from giving me this coat." He sighed. "He's going to ask Mr. Garp for permission."

"You do wear it well." Robin noted with a smile.

"Why's he need permission?" Usopp asked. "He gives us stuff all the time."

"It's his mom's." Ace replied with a frown. "He just offered it to you?"

"Yeah. We were just talking about how I didn't want to get it dirty and I found out you have a laundry lady that you made work on Thanksgiving—" he shot a look at Sabo, who shrugged. "And he told me about how she'd have it completely brown when she came in from the horses." He smiled slightly at the image before frowning, uncomfortable. "Then he asked if I could wear it for her."

Ace clapped him on the back. "Yeah, that thing was made to be worn, you know? But it doesn't fit any of us. Gramps will say yes. Didn't you lose your coat last winter when that lady brought in her stupid dog and it mauled you?"

"Tried to maul me." He scoffed. "Better me than Mr. Haruta. I still don't understand why he was the target."

"She was jealous he's prettier than she is." Sabo sniffed. "How'd you even calm that beast down? It was almost as rabid as her!"

"He was a sweet puppy." He shrugged. "It wasn't too different from what we were taught. Grab the neck, lift and push, then slam on the ground. It stunned him and I held him down until he wore himself out. I saved him from being put down and gave him to my friend Shachi—he's a huge fluffball now. I named him Bepo."

"Keep him away from me." Sabo chuckled. "That thing was terrifying."

"He's a total sweetheart. Shachi taught him to walk on two legs." He said proudly.

"Front or back?" Ace asked.

Slightly put-out, he huffed. "Back." Then he grinned. "He looks just like a bear!" Then he paused. "Wait. What do polar bear cubs look like?"

Both gaped at him. "You don't think…?"

He took out his phone and googled it. "Dammit. Now we have to get a license. I better call him."

"That means you dropped a bear!" Ace said in shock.

"He's not a very good bear." He brushed off, walking over to the window again and dialing his friend. After a moment, the man answered. "Hey Shachi, you have a minute? Go to the computer and google polar bear cubs." When he protested, he huffed, "Just do it!"

Alright, alright, geeze. There was a click and the clatter of keys. Then, HOLY SHIT!

"Language." He chided.

I own a polar bear! Law, this thing's gonna get bigger than me!

"Everything's bigger than you." He drawled lazily.

Shut up! I'm a perfectly normal 5'10, asshole! It's not my fault you're a bleeding giant! He's definitely getting his claws filed pronto! He tore up my sofa again, you know?

"I told you not to get it. He's been trained to attack the color green." He scoffed. "Hey, keep teaching him tricks! Then see how long you can sneak him into dog shows!" He snickered.

Obedience classes too. The man continued, ignoring him. Hey, where were you today?

"I almost got mauled by a different bear." He said cheerfully. "We were between her and her cub, but Mr. Luffy noticed the cub before the mom did us and we got away."

WHAT?! Where did you even find another bear?! He shouted in shock.

"The mall. It's a real jungle, you know?"

Ha ha, seriously.

"Well, last night, a couple friends nabbed me before I could leave and dragged me to their Grandpa's place for dinner." He shrugged. "I stayed the night and we hiked up this huge hill in a forest near their house. Dude, I found a cane toad as big as your head! It let me feed it fish!" He finished excitedly.

Dude, those things are poisonous.

"Duh, I had gloves on." He rolled his eyes at his scoff. "I had to stop it from eating a medusa beetle. Chased it all around the damn hill, it was pretty fast. I caught it fish to make up for stealing its food even though the idiot should have already known it'd kill him…" He muttered the last part in fond annoyance.

Sometimes you just gotta let nature do its thing.

"Shachi, I'm a surgeon. I put fake organs in people. Natural selection goes against my entire existence." He scoffed.

You're such a drama queen. So hey, guess who found where you moonlight~!"

"You fucker." He said in annoyance. "You promised not to look!"

I didn't. Lisa spotted you while she was looking for her sister's boyfriend.

"Wait, what?" He asked in confusion. "What was he doing there? Do I need to get someone to kick his ass?"

No, no! He laughed. It was a stag part for one of his friends! You remember Coby?

"The kid with the pink hair? Isn't he like, fifteen?"

Seventeen. And apparently, his folks are all for it. Lisa's been stalking the guy and she says he's a sweetheart.

"He better be." He said softly, threat in his voice.

Yeah, well, she got pictures!

"Dude. Seriously, no photographs!" He said. "That's what brought Bepo into our lives."

Seriously?

"Yeah, I wasn't his target. One of the other performers were and I was just in the wrong place. How is he anyway? Is he eating the food or is he still having trouble?"

Talk shifted to the bear and they began tossing ideas back and forth about how to curb the more dangerous instincts and their best idea was to make him a hunting bear.

Then he frowned, realizing, "Wait, who did she show the pictures to?"

Just us. Man, you've been holding out on us! We'll be there tonight to cheer you on!

He rubbed his eyes, feeling his face burning. "Just remember that if any of you allow this to distract you at work, you will be answering to me." He warned coolly.

Right, save it for the club! Love you, Sencho! He hung up.

He was going to be knocking so many heads together. Realizing something, he texted, –If you're going to waste space, you all better buy a table!—

—Oh my god we're going to die!—

Smirking, he tucked his phone away and left the window. "Sorry, I got distracted."

"No problem. I suppose you'll be doing research on bear-keeping?" Robin asked.

"I'm thinking about teaching him martial arts." He said with a smile. "Give him an advantage if he does become a hunter."

"I'd pay money to see a bear do Karate." Usopp said eagerly.

"We'll see how I goes." He chuckled. "He's already been neutered, so hopefully he won't be too aggressive when he hits maturity."

"Aren't they endangered?" Sanji asked.

Law shrugged. "We're not the ones that did it."

"How'd you recognize a black bear and not a polar bear?" Ace asked incredulously.

"Who expects to encounter a polar bear on a leash in south Manhattan?" He huffed. "He could have been some strange new breed."

"I told Haruta the dog was a bear and he's telling everyone you fought off a rabid bear for him." Sabo chuckled.

"He wasn't rabid."

"Who isn't rabid?" Luffy asked as he popped up from the hatch.

"The dog I was almost mauled by a year ago that's actually a polar bear." Law replied. "I'm going to try and teach him martial arts."

The boy got stars in his eyes. "WHAT! Do you have pictures? Can I play with your pet bear? I know! Bring him for Christmas! You're coming for Christmas, aren't you?! He'll love it! The snow gets so thick up here!"

"Actually, I do." He said, taking out his phone. He walked over to the group and began going through his pictures and videos of the bear, more than happy to tell them stories of the critter. He was Law's baby.


	5. Chapter 5

They headed back to the house for supper, Sanji insisting that Law eat before they left. Not that Law argued, he loved the man's cooking.

Baby 5 was waiting at the door, looking miserable. "Law-chan, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed with her best kicked puppy look. "It just slipped out! Here, I got you a forgive me present." Law took the bag she held out and as he took out the paper she said, "Uncle Doffy recommended I find something white."

He took out a knitted hat with straps to cover his ears that ended in paws…because it had bear ears and glossy buttons for eyes and a sewn nose. It was a polar bear hat and Law laughed. "Did you know I just found out Bepo's a polar bear?"

She gaped slightly. "No way, really?" Then she frowned. "Wait, that sounds like legal trouble. Talk to Doffy before your shift. He'll find a loophole if he can."

Nodding, he took off the black cap and pulled on the polar bear one, smiling. "I forgive you."

She brightened, barely stopping herself from hugging him, only to let out a delighted squeal when he held open his arms in invitation. She hugged him tightly before pulling back and saying, "I'll be out here, call if you need me!"

She practically skipped away.

"Is that your sister?" Nami asked curiously.

"No, she's my escort." He replied.

"Our escort." Sabo corrected. "Every time we come up here we have at least five guards on duty. One sticks close to us while the others stay hidden. If they'll attack us in the theatre, they could follow us home."

"She likes me the best." Law brushed off as he walked inside.

"She's not allowed to have an opinion." Ace reminded with a grin as they followed.

He scoffed and went to put up the coat.

"Oh yeah, I forgot!" Luffy exclaimed as he ran forward and grabbed his hand, yanking him to the stairs instead. "Grandpa says he wants to make sure it fits!"

"Mr. Luffy, I told you I can't take this coat!" He protested as he dug in his heels. "I don't even know how to take care of it!"

The boy struggled to pull him to no avail. "Come on, stop being stubborn!"

"You can have this coat or we'll buy you one." Ace said. "Your choice."

Law shot him a dark glare and had to catch the younger boy when the sudden slack had him falling. "Fine. But no more gifts." He sighed.

"No promises!" Luffy said brightly, now able to drag him up the stairs.

This family was going to kill him.

When they entered the den, the adults all turned to look and several looked shocked when they saw him.

"I can't believe it." Garp said quietly. "It fits!"

"I told you!" Luffy huffed.

"What took so long?" Shanks asked. "You all got back almost five minutes ago."

"Torao was being stubborn!" Luffy exclaimed. "He didn't wanna accept it!"

Shanks frowned and demanded, "Why not?"

Jesus. "Usually when an item has great personal value, people want it preserved, not used." He said wearily. "He didn't even tell me until we were already at the treehouse that it was his mother's! I wouldn't have taken it if I knew!"

"That's why I didn't tell you." Luffy scoffed.

"I could have messed it up!" He protested.

"So we'd fix it."

Law stared at him for a moment, flummoxed. "What if that bear had come at us?"

"I'd be worried about Torao, not the jacket!" The boy exclaimed. "It was my mom's! It's not my mom!"

"If anyone even touched my mom's dresses, I'd kill them." He said quietly.

"Well I'm not you." He scoffed.

"Luffy!" Makino gasped, aghast, and there was a moment of silence as they stared each other down and the tension in the air grew thicker.

Garp suddenly spoke. "Different people process grief differently. Mr. Trafalgar, it would make all of us very happy if you wore this coat in honor of our wife, our daughter, our mother, and our friend. And don't worry about any rips or frays—it's a sign of a life well-lived!"

Why were these people so intense? Under the force of these stubborn men, he had no choice but to give in and the fight left him. "Okay."

Luffy leapt into the air with a whoop. "Let's go see if Sanji's finished cooking!"

"It's only been five minutes! Max!" He said, startled as he was once again being dragged somewhere.

"My name's Luffy, not Max!"

That startled a laugh out of him. "No, max, as in maximum. Five minutes tops. At most. No more than five minutes."

"Oh. Well, maybe we'll be lucky!"

-f-f-f-

After a peaceful supper, Law took a shower under Robin's advisement, reminding him about the poison. While he took a proper one—under Ace's supervision to make sure he used the proper products—Sabo took his clothes to be cleaned again and to get instructions on how to service the coat.

"Conditioner!" Ace huffed.

Sighing, he reached for it. "Why are you being so pushy? I took a shower last night!"

"Not a good one! You only used the bar soap!"

"So?" He asked in confusion.

"It'll dry out your skin and mess up your hair!" He huffed. "And besides, long hot showers are good for your health!"

"It's a waste of water!"

"You're wasting air! Scrub!"

Huffing himself, he did as he was told.

"We'll be inspecting your apartment when we get there." Ace said.

"Mr. Ace, I am one favor away from snapping your neck." He growled in frustration.

"Shut up and relax. I'm gonna spoil the hell out of you."

"Ace!" He growled lower.

"I'll be sneaky about it! You won't see a thing!" He 'assured' him.

"Ugh." He scrubbed out the conditioner roughly, wanting so hard to punch the well-meaning bastard.

"Body wash!"

Ten minutes later, he was rubbing lotion on his legs as Ace did his neck and back. It turned into an impromptu massage and Law couldn't help but melt. Up and down his spine, circles on his sides and shoulders, he heard several joints crack under the man's skilled fingers and he lost the fight.

Arms wrapped around him and he was drawn back against the other's chest as Ace hooked his chin over his shoulder. "I'm doin' it cuz I love you, man. You're family to us too, y'know?"

Sighing, Law let his shoulders slump. "I better not see either of you in the act."

Smiling, Ace squeezed him before standing up. "Come on, I bet some of my clothes will fit you. You can borrow them."

Relieved, Law just nodded and they entered the room. He was given a long-sleeve cashmere shirt in a navy blue and some grey sweatpants to wear over the black boxers. Then some black socks before they headed for the den for tea.

"You're right, he needs to eat more." Shanks chuckled. "Hey boys, start bringing him by for tea on his off-days!"

"Great idea! I can test some new recipes!" Sanji said excitedly.

"Can you bring your bear-puppy?" Luffy asked hopefully. "I've never seen a polar bear up close!"

Law sighed. "We'll see."

Cheering, the boy tackled him and Law braced himself as his chair tipped and the back hit the floor.

Amused, Law said, "Came in a little too hot there, kiddo."

The boy snickered. "Oops."

Ace and Sabo grasped Law's hands and pulled them and the chair back in an upright position.

"Good thing you didn't have a drink yet." Luffy snickered as he returned to his own seat.

"Isn't it illegal to own a polar bear?" Benn asked.

"I thought he was a dog." He shrugged. "A lady tried to sic him on one of our colleagues but got me instead. He's just a baby right now, but he's neutered so he'd be zero help in conservation efforts anyway." He accepted juice from Sanji. "Thank you."

"It attacked you and you decided to keep it?" Shanks asked incredulously.

"You can't blame a gun for the murder." He brushed off. "It's not his fault, the lady made him do it. And he's a total sweetheart, I taught him how to high-five."

"You didn't tell us that!" Luffy exclaimed in betrayal.

"I just did." He replied easily and was once again showing off his pictures and videos. Before he knew it, his clothes were done and it was time to leave.

Ten minutes after five, they were in the car heading back for the city, their escorts tailing them. He ended up falling asleep in the backseat, exhausted.


	6. Chapter 6

At nine, the duo drove him to work, having spent the last few hours doing inventory on everything from his TV (Or lack of) to his plumbing. Law ignored them as best he could as he lounged on the lumpy couch he’d gotten from the street and tried to figure out where his latest payment would go. He decided he needed some good winter boots and browsed the internet on his phone the rest of the time.

He prepared for his show, deciding to really fuck with his colleagues by doing the doctor skit, and it went off without a hitch. Though he heard them cheering, he couldn’t see them as he collected his money and headed off the stage.

To his surprise, Doffy was waiting for him in the lounge. The man stood up and grinned. “Law-chan…you’ve done as fantastic as ever. Come here.” He held open his arms invitingly.

Brightening, Law ran over and hugged him, feeling the stress he’d been carrying melting away as a large hand rubbed his head.

“Baby 5 told me you needed to talk to me.” He said.

Coming back to himself, he stepped back. “Oh right, remember that dog I had my friend take in? We just realized he’s actually a polar bear.” He said sheepishly. “I wanted to ask if you knew of any way for me to keep him. If not…I’ll think of something.” He’d probably find some lawless country and move there. Where the debt collectors could be shot on sight.

The man cupped Law’s jaw, thumbs brushing his cheeks as he smiled slightly. “I’ll look into it. For now, keep saying he’s a dog.” He kissed his forehead before heading back outside.

Smiling happily, Law went to go get his make-up touched up before making his rounds.  
-  
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He found perverse enjoyment in performing for his colleagues. They were left stammering, quivering, blushing messes and several actually swooned. None of them took him up on being able to touch him but thanks to them, he reached his minimum in tips before he’d even left their table. He’d have to warn them to make it a weekly thing instead of daily if they planned on coming back.

Which they would. He’d be able to rile them up at work now.  
By his second go onstage, they’d recovered going by their ecstatic cheering as he and Haruta wowed the crowds with their flexibility and gymnastics using the poles. And when he pulled the boy into a messy kiss, the crowd was nearly roaring with delight.

Backstage, they split the money 60/40 with the ten going to Haruta.

“That was genius!” The boy exclaimed. “How d’you come up with these things?”

Law chuckled. “I just did it to fuck with my friends in the crowd. A bit of revenge for them prying into my personal life.”

That seemed to amuse the boy to no end and he was still grinning by the time they parted ways to do their rounds. Every single one of his friends had hearts in their eyes, though they didn’t buy him again. He just grinned and made sure to give them a show.

By the end of the night, he was wiped out, but even after the cuts he’d still managed to make over three grand. He still couldn’t believe it. He was starting to get his head above the water. He was still some 653 thousand in debt, but he was getting there.

He put it in the hidden pocket of his jeans and kept only a twenty in his wallet as he headed outside. His friends had left earlier in the night, texting him to say it wouldn’t be proper to see him after hours, so he didn’t dally as he went to catch his bus.

It was dark out, so he kept a sharp eye out for danger, but he was alone at the stop. It was a bit chilly, but the coat was warm and he was comfortable as he waited and before too long he saw the bus coming towards him. It slowed to a stop and he waited for the double doors to open before stepping inside. Showing his pass to the man behind the wheel, he got a nod so he headed for his usual seat in the back. Just as he was about to reach the stairs when he decided to take the seat near the metal divider facing the rear door. He leaned against the divider and listened to the drone of the motor as the bus started to drive. A crack somewhere was causing a sharp continuous whistle and the automated voice warned him to stay seated at all times while the bus was in motion.

Then suddenly he was on his couch, head pounding. He felt nauseated and sore all over and the pounding in his head increased until he realized there was shouting too.

“-ncho! Sencho, open this door or we’ll break it down!”

Reluctantly standing up, his leg almost gave out and he rubbed his face as he stumbled over. “Calm down,” he said loud enough for them to hear. “I’m coming.”

“Captain, where have you been, it’s almost noon!” Lisa exclaimed as he unlatched the door.

He yawned. “I was sleeping. I guess I forgot to turn my alarms back on.”

They both inhaled sharply as he opened the door and he opened his eyes to look at them curiously, frowning at the horrified looks on their faces.

“What?” He demanded sleepily.

Penguin carefully pulled him out the door. “Come on.”

Too tired to protest, he followed obediently and was guided into the back of Lisa’s car. He leaned against the window and started to doze as they got in only for Penguin to shake him. “Hey, don’t go to sleep. What did you do after you left last night?”

It took him a moment to get his groggy mind to cooperate, but then he said, “I took the bus home.”

Lisa gasped before asking calmly, “All the way home?”

“Well, you found me at home, didn’t you?” He asked around another yawn.

“But do you remember getting there?”

Law contemplated it, struggling to get his mind to work while fighting the pull of sleep.

Penguin shook him. “Sencho?”

“What?” He asked, covering a yawn. His hand smelled like asphalt.

“Do you remember getting to your apartment last night?”

He considered it, but couldn’t, so he started with the bus. “I remember getting on the bus. I sat on the bench facing the back door…there were two others, a lady up near the driver and a guy at the very back…he felt weird so I didn’t sit back there…” He tried to remember beyond the whistling window.

He stirred when he was lifted onto a stretcher and tried to sit up. “Wha’s goin on?” He was pushed back down and he stayed as his head swam.

“—still too high, turn it up—”

“What?” He asked in confusion, trying to move his head but it was strapped down by a neck brace.

His superior Doctor Vegapunk smiled down at him. “You’re just tired from an eventful day off. Why don’t you take a nap, Dr. Trafalgar?”

He reached up to grasp the wrist holding a mask to his face, but he couldn’t close his fingers. A sudden thought popped into his head and he heard a heart monitor start to race. “My jacket—is my coat okay? I’m not—where is it?”

A warm hand settled on his forehead and he felt the gas starting to take effect. His boss smiled soothingly. “It’s perfectly fine, Dr. Trafalgar. Not even a smudge.”

Relaxing, he started to breathe deeply and then he was losing consciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

When he woke up in one of the hospital beds, he wondered how he’d managed to fall asleep with everything so loud. Freeing himself from the sheets and equipment, he headed for the door and down to the locker rooms where his spare clothes were kept.

Then he began doing his rounds. He was confused by the amount of people asking if he was okay but just chuckled and assured them he was perfectly fine. Tending to his patients went by without an issue and he was debating if he wanted tea or soda with lunch when he was dragged from the clinic by a frantic Chloe and David. He was confused about what the problem was but just went with it as they forced him back into a gown and then into bed where David began reconnecting him to the machines.

Chloe brushed his hair back with a smile. “Captain, I need you to stay in bed. You’re very sick.”

“I am?” He asked, puzzled.

“Yes. Will you stay in bed? Maybe take a nap?” She asked.

“But I have work.” He protested.

She shook her head. “Dr. Vegapunk wants you to rest up for the afternoon rush. It’s slow right now, so you can catch a few z’s.”

Blinking slowly, he thought that as long as they didn’t need him…he closed his eyes and said, “Kay.”

He was out like a light.

-  
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The next time he woke up, he understood he’d gotten into some sort of medical trouble and started to panic because he couldn’t afford the bills. If he was too bad, he wouldn’t be able to work at either job and without money he’d fall even farther behind and he was terrified by the impact this would have on his future. What if he’d been handicapped?!

“Law-chan.”

Turning, he was startled to see Doffy sitting beside the bed in the visitor’s chair. He quickly pulled himself together and smiled at the man, happy to see him. “Doffy!” He greeted.

The man smiled warmly before turning serious. “Do you remember what happened?”

He considered it and remembered leaving the club. He got on the bus, but beyond the annoying whistle…was blank. “I only remember taking a seat on my bus.”

He nodded. “Was there anyone else on board?”

“Yes. A woman sitting near the driver and a guy in the middle of the bench in the very back.” He informed him. “I sat on the bench across the exit door.”

The man frowned. “Why? You usually sit in the first leftmost seat in the back.”

Which wouldn’t have been weird if not for the fact Law was a man of habit. It took a lot to break him out of any rut so it was strange of him to just…switch seats. He thought back and remembered the guy. “The guy…he didn’t seem…right. He felt weird.”

“Describe him.”

It took a moment, but, “Blonde hair. Sorta wavy. He had a beanie over it.” It was hard to focus. “Maybe Mr. Izo’s height? He was wearing a tracksuit, yellow, and he had dark skin. Tan. He looked at me and—” he shuddered, chills making goosebumps appear on his skin. “It was like looking at a corpse. But this one wants to eat you…”

“Cease your dramatics. What color were his eyes?”

“Color…” He repeated, to focus. Color. He struggled to think back to that brief eye contact, feeling his mind try to shy away from the memory but he pressed harder, not wanting to disappoint the man. He got annoyed. “Come on, I looked right at him.” He covered his eyes to block out the light and concentrate better. Back when he got on the bus, the driver’s eyes were grey in the darkness, gleaming yellow from the lights. The woman had green eyes illuminated by her phone screen and the man…

…dark gaping holes where the eyes should have been and now that he had it in his mind, he couldn’t look away. “He doesn’t have any eyes…” He whispered in shock. How hadn’t he noticed that?

A smirk bloomed on the man’s face as he stood up. Law was frozen in confusion and fear as the strange man approached and a strong hand gripped his shoulder. A voice that seemed to channel a million others said, “The target was her. I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire. Do not be afraid.”

And suddenly Law could breathe. Blinking rapidly, he found himself in his hospital bed, shoulder sore and every heartbeat pounding painfully clear through it. He gasped for breath, lungs burning and tried to turn away from Doffy as he struggled to get his body under control. He felt a large hand on his back and relaxed knowing it was just Doffy as he calmed down.

Letting out a huff, he fell back and said, “Sorry about that. Something has messed with my memory of the event. Perhaps I had a nightmare after ending up at home.” He rubbed his head and looked up at the man apologetically. “I’m sorry.”

Doffy looked at him for a moment before reaching out to rub his head affectionately. “It’s alright. I only asked because the only ones found at the crash site were the driver and a young woman.”

Law jolted slightly. “Crash site?”

“Bus 22 North was found in flames a few blocks from your stop. The bus driver and woman had been pulled from the wreckage, but the woman had died during the crash. The driver’s wounds had been tended to by the time first responders arrived on the scene. Knowing you were involved, I have my experts working to salvage the footage to find out how it happened.”

Law was shocked. “I was in a crash? And walked home?!” He sat up only for a sharp pain in his stomach to make him double over.

A hand shoved him back down. “Stay still, you foolish boy.” Doflamingo chided. “You weren’t seriously injured, but if you move around you can reopen the stitches and MAKE it life-threatening.”

He rubbed his face. “Sorry, I just…how long have I been out?”

“It’s been two days, you fell into a light coma briefly. Try to sit up again and I will bind you to the bed!” He snapped.

Grimacing, Law didn’t apologize again. The man wouldn’t put any stock in it so Law would just have to not do it again. “I just want to see my chart so I won’t hold you back with questions.” He sighed.

The man mimicked the sigh. “Where do you think I’m going? I’m not leaving you here alone.” But he picked up the chart and handed it to him.

Law looked it over and saw mostly bruises and scrapes, a few burns—including one bad one on his shoulder—minor internal bleeding that had stopped on its own, and bruised ribs. He’d also sprained his knee and was recovering from a concussion. He looked through the medicine he’d been given and did a bit of mental math before resignation filled him.

He’d be so far behind. No strenuous activities for three weeks which meant only his doctoring for income and even that would be restricted to clinic duty. It was a major blow to his finances.

The rustle of feathers reminded him he wasn’t alone and he quickly schooled his features as he set it on the nightstand. “Well, it could be worse. I could have broken a bone!” He said with a smile.

“Law-chan.” The man began softly, warning in his voice that had anxiety filling Law. “What are you hiding from me?”

Law looked at him in honest surprise and confusion. “Nothing! At least, not that I know of. What do you mean?”

“After we discovered you had been in the accident, Baby 5 went to look over the surveillance systems to find out why we were not alerted you were injured upon your return.” He began calmly. “She says, and I’m quoting here, that your living conditions are ‘deplorable’. Where is all your money going?”

Law blinked. “The debt collectors.”

“Debt? What debt?” He demanded.

Surprised he didn’t know, Law told him about how his family had borrowed money back when they had first settled in New York generations ago. Despite quickly starting to earn money, the interest kept piling up at an alarming rate. The contract had warned that when the holder died, the debt would shift to next of kin and how over the years it had become so bad that his family lost everything but a small house in the woods. Then his family was killed and by the time he’d been informed he was responsible for paying it, it had become outrageous. How the last three years his money had been going to keeping the interest at zero and little by little, he was making a dent. He told him happily about how he’d already paid off his loans and the debts from his treatments as a child, getting his overall debt down to just above the half-million mark.

Then he looked at the man curiously. “I submitted all the paperwork I had on it when Mr. Buffalo asked for it. Maybe it was misfiled?”

The man hummed. “I’ll be looking into it immediately. Don’t worry about paying it anymore, Law-chan. Even from what little you’ve told me, I know you will be getting back every cent you’ve paid. What was the Firm’s name?”

“Baroque Works.” He said. “But Doffy, I had a lawyer check it out and he said it was a legal contract.”

“Then I’ll be looking into the lawyer as well. Sai will come in once I leave.” He stood up and leaned over to brush Law’s hair back. “Rest and recover. I’ll see you in the morning.”

And just like that, he was alone.

Leaning over to the table, he picked up his charging cell and began looking through the worried and angry messages from his friends. He sent out a mass text telling them what had happened and that he was okay. Then, to just Ace and Sabo said, —I ’ll probably be working on Christmas to make up for lost time. —

Then to Penguin, —Where is my coat? Can you find it and make sure it’s not ruined? Thanks. —

He looked up when the door opened and smiled. “Hello, Mr. Sai.”

“Mr. Trafalgar.” He greeted. “How are you doing? Nice to see you awake.”

“Sore all over, but good.” He replied. “I don’t remember much between getting on my bus and waking up with uncle Doffy, but he filled some of the blanks.”

He hummed. “Someone’s getting fired. We should have been the first to know your bus had crashed even if you hadn’t been on it. It took you not showing up for the night to realize something was wrong. Mr. Portgas and Mr. Sabo were nearly hysterical. They’d seen the news segment about the crash but hadn’t realized you’d have been on it. The first responders only found two people.”

“Apparently I dragged them out of the bus and treated the driver.” He said. “He says the woman was dead on impact. Then I walked home where my colleagues found me when I was late for work.” He grimaced slightly. He couldn’t believe he’d walked away from a crash like that.

“Several people are getting fired then.” He grunted. “They’re supposed to report unusual activity.” He sat in Doffy’s vacated chair and said, “Why don’t you try and sleep some more? I’ll keep watch.”

With nothing better to do, Law closed his eyes and not even a minute later he was out cold.


End file.
